This invention relates to a counting and grouping apparatus for uniformly shaped, preferably flat articles, such as biscuits, or cookies and is of the type which has an input conveyor belt, which is charged with the articles at random locations and intervals. At the output of the apparatus the articles emerge in groups, each formed of a predetermined number of articles. Subsequently, the article groups, each containing an identical number of articles, may be wrapped, preferably after arranging the articles of each group in a stack.
An apparatus of the above-outlined type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,751 which is incorporated herein by reference. The apparatus disclosed in this patent has a plurality of parallel-arranged channels, each provided with a conveyor device equipped with article-pusher members. The latter actuate a control arrangement which, in conjunction with an adding device, monitors the groups to determine whether each group has the desired number of items. Upon detection of an incomplete group, the control arrangement prevents a further conveyance of such group. In case, upon actuation of the control arrangement -- which may be, for example, a switching device -- a group is incomplete, an emergency stop signal is generated which energizes braking devices for preventing further advance of the articles, resets the adding device into the zero position and causes an alarm to be sounded for the operating personnel. It is a possibility, however, that the operating personnel would not immediately heed or become aware of the alarm signal. Thus, in case such emergency stop signals are generated more frequently under unfavorable operational conditions -- or in case of an impermissible increase of the article-conveying cycle -- significant idle periods may occur.